After accusing Israel of genocide, California lawmaker steps down as Jewish Caucus co-chair

Scott Wiener, the California lawmaker who earlier this month announced that he believed Israel had committed “genocide” in Gaza, is stepping down as a leader of the state legislature’s Jewish caucus.

Wiener, a state senator from San Francisco, has been a co-chair of the caucus since 2023. He is currently running for Congress.

In a statement released yesterday, he attributed his resignation from the caucus’s leadership position to both his campaign and the backlash over his Israel comments. He will remain a member of the caucus after he steps down as its chair on February 15.

“Last fall, I suggested stepping down but was asked to stay to provide continuity of leadership during a difficult time for the Jewish community,” Wiener said. “Now, my campaign is accelerating, and my recent statements on Israel and Gaza have led to significant controversy in the Jewish community. The time to transition has arrived.”

Wiener’s accusation of genocide, made January 11 in a video posted to social media, came days after he declined to answer a question on the topic during a televised debate, spurring a backlash from pro-Palestinian voices.

His statement on Israel elicited its own criticism. Five local and national Jewish groups issued a statement saying that while they recognized Wiener’s support for the Jewish community and his own experiences of antisemitism, they were “deeply disappointed” in his video statement.